It performs acts that steal the heart and leaves an impression on the soul. It does the unexpected, surprising, and stirring. Love makes a statement and leaves a legacy. And, we, therefore, need to love them as he loves them. Because people matter so much to him, they ought to matter to us. Notice Jesus did not say that people will know that you are my disciples if you promote my agenda, or wear Christian T-shirts or a WWJD bracelet, or have a fish decal on your car, but rather if you love one another. The world is watching! “God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.īelievers are God’s advertisement to a watching society. When we love as he as loved us, it will make the difference. Jesus goes on to say, “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). When we demonstrate Christian love, it distinguishes believers from the rest of the world. God established love as the force for obedience. Love fulfills the law, because if we truly love every person because he IS a person, we will not desire to hurt or violate him or her, thus never break the law. And if he loves his enemy, he will not slander him. If he loves his coworker, he will not lie to him. For if one loves his neighbor, he will not commit adultery with his neighbor’s spouse. The logic of Paul’s interpretation of Jesus’ command that love fulfills the Law seems equally simple. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom. The apostle Paul goes on to tell us “Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another” (John 13:34). Yet Jesus also said, “I give you a new commandment: love one another. And it is written, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Because the point of writing a law is adherence to it. To the people of Israel, as well as for many believers today, it would seem more logical for the act of obedience. When Jesus spoke to the disciples regarding the first and second greatest commands, he explained that “All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands” (Matt. But why love? What makes it so important? Every thought, response, and act of goodwill must first pass through the fine filter of love, or it means nothing at all. Jesus gave love priority over all other Christian virtues. Love, then, is not a gray area the Scriptures. The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matt. 13:3).Įven though we have the freedom to set our own priorities, Jesus made a point of defining certain ones of them for us: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and most important commandment. But as the Scripture reminds us, “And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing” (1 Cor. For many of us these choices are valid: time with family and friends, work, prayer, serving the poor, fighting for rights, protesting wrongs. “For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another” (1 John 3:11). So, how do we make love a dominating characteristic of our lives? Sometimes it’s hard enough to love our own family. Sometimes we sing a chorus in church: “I’m so glad you’re a part of the family of God,” and then we look at the person beside us and sing, “I’m surprised you’re part of the family of God.” Just being real. Even people at church can be difficult to love. Sounds good, but can we do it? No, not without the Holy Spirit. The Bible says we are to love one another.
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